The present new and distinct variety of Red Delicious Apple tree was discovered originating as a sport limb mutation on an Oregon Spur Red Delicious tree, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,816, in the discoverer's orchard in Yakima County, Wash. It has been reproduced in the discoverer's orchard through the third generation by budding and grafting and also in the Van Well Nursery orchard in Wenatchee, Wash., by the same method. Each successive generation has proved true to the original sport limb mutation so as to establish the genetic stability of this new variety.
The new variety of Red Delicious tree has been grown alongside other varieties that are believed to be the nearest similar to it, including Early Red One Delicious, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,556, Oregon Spur Delicious, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,816, and Bisbee Delicious, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,565. The new variety clearly differs from its parent, Oregon Spur, in that it begins to color with a blush contrasting with the striped color pattern of its parent. While mature fruit of the new variety has the appearance of that of Early Red One, the latter is not a spur-type tree. The present new variety starts to show fruit color approximately two weeks earlier than Early Red One or any other Red Delicious tree of which applicant is aware, and it also reaches full color in advance of all other Red Delicious trees by about the same lead period.
The new variety also shares with Early Red One the characteristic of developing a red stem color which it retains until the fully ripened fruit is ready for harvest. However, like the fruit itself, the stem color forms in the new variety some two weeks ahead of the appearance of stem color of Early Red One, namely, in the case of the new variety, approximately 15 days after bloom in the Yakima valley area.
By way of further comparisons, Oregon Spur obtains its full color, a dark red color, in the Yakima area some 30 days after full color is reached by the new variety. A similar comparison applies to Bisbee. As stated previously, at maturity the fruit color most nearly resembles that of Early Red One, a standard or nonspur-type tree.
The new variety is also distinguishable from Red Chief, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,578, and from Flanagan, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,557, in that these latter two produce apples which are colored with a striped pattern whereas the new variety fruit colors with a blush.